When COVID-19 exacerbates inequities: The path forward for generating wellbeing

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Travel and Insight on the Limen: A Content Analysis of Adventure Travel Narratives

Travel narratives, both historical and modern, depict a hero’s quest for insight and self-discovery where the outward journey is a literal and metaphorical search for one’s authentic self, spirituality, and life’s meaning. This article reports the results of a study that examined the association between travel’s liminal experience and insight. Using content analysis of 50 published adventure travel narratives, a significant association between insight and liminality was identified, and the tentative conclusion that liminal experience may be a stimulus for insight was made. Variables (solo/group travel, travel motivation, gender, and cultural novelty) hypothesized to moderate the association between liminality and insight were also explored. Hierarchical log linear modeling identified only one significant three-way association: travel motive. Travelers who sought to escape negative associations with home were less likely to experience liminality and insight than those who were motivated to travel for other reasons

It\u27s Like I Am Standing Still : Immigration Regulations and Wives of International Students

This dissertation utilizes a feminist family studies framework to examine the impact of current immigration policies and university structures on the personal, professional and family life of wives of international students. The research process included interviews with thirty-two wives who came to the US on a F-2 visa, along with analysis of immigration and university documents. The results of the study show that for the wives the decision to migrate is strongly influenced by gendered constructions of family relationships. Such migration is often at the cost of their personal networks and professional careers. This study also increases our knowledge of the structural problems F-2 wives face due to their immigration status. Most wives report a pervasive sense of loneliness and social isolation. Immigration regulations, which prohibit wives from accessing educational and employment opportunities, not only result in irreparable damage to their long-term career prospects but also reinforce traditional gender identities within the family. Wives report a significant increase in their burden of unpaid reproductive labor. The opaque nature of immigration regulations and the gendered organization of the immigration process make it difficult for wives to evaluate the consequences of migration prior to arriving in the United States. The findings of this study contribute to the growing body of literature on how family migration to the United States is shaped by gendered institutions.

It\u27s Like I Am Standing Still : Immigration Regulations and Wives of International Students

This dissertation utilizes a feminist family studies framework to examine the impact of current immigration policies and university structures on the personal, professional and family life of wives of international students. The research process included interviews with thirty-two wives who came to the US on a F-2 visa, along with analysis of immigration and university documents. The results of the study show that for the wives the decision to migrate is strongly influenced by gendered constructions of family relationships. Such migration is often at the cost of their personal networks and professional careers. This study also increases our knowledge of the structural problems F-2 wives face due to their immigration status. Most wives report a pervasive sense of loneliness and social isolation. Immigration regulations, which prohibit wives from accessing educational and employment opportunities, not only result in irreparable damage to their long-term career prospects but also reinforce traditional gender identities within the family. Wives report a significant increase in their burden of unpaid reproductive labor. The opaque nature of immigration regulations and the gendered organization of the immigration process make it difficult for wives to evaluate the consequences of migration prior to arriving in the United States. The findings of this study contribute to the growing body of literature on how family migration to the United States is shaped by gendered institutions.

Going beyond good colleagues: Men’s and women’s perspectives on allyship behaviors toward women faculty in male-dominated disciplines in academia

Allyship is increasingly viewed as a crucial practice to address social and economic inequities faced by marginalized groups. However, little research explores how dominant group members can behave as allies and what marginalized group individuals consider as valuable. Research shows that women faculty in male-dominated academic disciplines regularly experience gendered microaggressions and sexism. In this study, using qualitative narratives from 202 female and male faculty in male-dominated academic departments, we explore women’s experiences as recipients of allyship, and men’s experiences engaging in allyship. Further, we compare narratives about and from men considered ‘good colleagues’ versus ‘exceptional allies.’ The findings reveal that good colleagues engage in an array of interpersonally supportive allyship behaviors (e.g., active listening). In contrast, exceptional allies go beyond them by undertaking consequential and conspicuous actions on behalf of women (e.g., impression promotion), a set of behaviors we term as visible advocacy. These have the potential to not only bolster women but also shift institutional culture. By exploring the range of allyship behaviors engaged in by men and viewed by women as valuable, we highlight implications for literature on gender equity and allyship. This study carries practical implications for men who desire to become better allies to women

Institutional betrayal and the role of male allies in supporting women in higher education

In response to persistent gender inequality, institutions have been making commitments to gender diversity, equity and inclusion through funding, initiatives, and policy. However, when everyday institutional practices and social norms fail to protect women from inequity, women experience institutional betrayal. Using data from an open-ended survey of 202 faculty in male-dominated disciplines, we explore how male allies can engage in intentional action to interrupt gender injustice and buffer institutional betrayal and what consequences accrue to the male allies. Findings show that institutional betrayal occurs at four levels, and while at the first two, male allies buffer institutional betrayal of women with varying degrees of success, at the other two, male allies experience institutional betrayal themselves. As such, the opportunities and limits of male allyship as an avenue for driving structural change for gender equity are discussed

Good for the goose and good for the gander: Examining positive psychological benefits of male allyship for men and women

Allyship is increasingly promoted as a tool to support gender diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, including in higher education institutions. Male allyship toward women can be a useful expression of men’s positive/caring masculinity, but little empirical research has examined if and how male allyship benefits men and women psychologically and socially. Using women’s other- and self-reports and men’s self-reports from 101 male-female colleague dyads in male-dominated departments, we tested a model involving men’s allyship, women’s inclusion and vitality, and men’s growth and work-family enrichment. As hypothesized, men’s growth mediated the link between their allyship and work-family enrichment, and women’s perceptions of men’s allyship predicted women’s vitality, both directly and through inclusion. However, men’s allyship was weakly associated with women’s perceptions of their allyship, and men’s benefits were unrelated to women’s inclusion or vitality. Findings highlight the importance of male allyship rooted in positive masculinity while underscoring disconnect between women’s and men’s experiences. The implications for promoting gender inclusion and diversity in male-dominated departments of higher education are discussed